Summary
Personal Information
Crime
Transportation
James May was transported on the Nile, departing 18th Sep 1857 and arriving 1st Jan 1858 with 271 passengers.
Nile (generic)References
| Primary Source | Australian Joint Copying Project. Microfilm Roll 93, Class and Piece Number HO11/18, Page Number 244 --0-- Edgar, W. (Bill). (2018). “The precarious voyage of her majesty’s convict ship ‘Nile’ to the Swan River colony, late 1857 – and the unexpected aftermath.” The Great Circle, 40(1), 20–43. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26783779 |
| Source Description | This record is one of the entries in the British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database compiled by State Library of Queensland from British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm as part of the Australian Joint Copying Pro |
| Original Source | Great Britain. Home Office |
| Compiled By | State Library of Queensland |
| Database Source | British convict transportation registers 1787-1867 database |
Claims
No one has claimed James May yet.
Photos
No photos have been added for James May.
Convict Notes
FOOTNOTE 2: NEWSPAPER REPORT OF THE TRIAL From the 'Weekly Dispatch', March 9, 1856: THE PORTSEA ROBBERY At the Winchester Assizes, William Henry May, James May and Henry Phillips, were found guilty of breaking into the house of Messrs. Emanuel, jewellers, at Portsea, and stealing a very large quantity of jewellery. The two first-named prisoners were each sentenced to 14 years penal servitude, and Phillips to four years. (http://www.perthdps.com/convicts/w4555.htm)
FOOTNOTE: James and his brother William Henry May #4555 (also transported to WA per Nile) received their Certificates of Freedom on the same day. --00--
IN WA: From his Fremantle jail record: MAY, James; #4664; 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1836 Marital Status: Unmarried Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Semiliterate Sentence Place: Winchester, Hampshire, England Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 14 years Ticket of Leave Date: 21 Nov 1859 Conditional Pardon Date: 8 Mar 1867 Certificate of Freedom Date: 8 Feb 1871 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--
Chatham, Portland, Portsmouth and Spike Island in Ireland were listed public works stations and the second stage in the penal process. After separate confinement, prisoners were “placed on work parties at various locations, most commonly naval stations, where maintenance of facilities was vital for the effective protection of Britain’s far flung commercial and military influences around the world. While there, attitude and behaviour were monitored closely. In theory, only after consistently positive reports was a prisoner moved on to the third stage of his incarceration—transportation.” (Edgar, p40) 6 May, 1857: James May was admitted to Chatham gaol, inmate #948. From there he was sent to board the Nile for transportation to WA, #32/948 (Western Australia, Australia, Convict Records, 1846-1930; Convict Department, Registers; Character Book for Nos 4508-5585 (R8)).
April, 1856: James May was admitted to Millbank gaol where he spent 12 months 15 days in separate confinement, on top of the 1 month 19 days served at Hants. His behaviour at Millbank was described as "indifferent". “After a sentence of transportation was handed down, the prisoner entered into a separate stage where he was placed into an individual cell, isolated from others, apart from brief periods of exercise and attendance at chapel. However, no communication of any kind with other prisoners was permitted at any time. The philosophy behind this penal methodology had its provenances in the religious, monastic traditions; i.e., that in the isolation of his cell the malefactor would be able to contemplate the errors of his way, unadulterated by the negative influences of former contemporaries, and be reformed.” (Edgar, 2018, pp39-40) When first put into practice, the mandated period of separate confinement was 18 months. By the late 1840s, authorities had conceded that such conditions of imprisonment were “injurious to many prisoners’ mental health” and the stint was reduced to 12 months. Periods of separate confinement were reduced further “as a prisoner displayed good behaviour tendencies” (Edgar, p40). Millbank, Wakefield, Pentonville and Mountjoy in Ireland were the “Probation” or “Separate” prisons, as were some local jails. --00--
James May CRIMINAL ADMISSION AGE: 20 RECORD TYPE: Register BIRTH DATE: 1836 CRIMINAL CHARGE: Burglary SENTENCE: 14 years CRIMINAL ADMISSION DATE: 3 Mar 1856 CRIMINAL ADMISSION PLACE: Hampshire, England JAIL: Winchester Gaol SOURCE DESCRIPTION: Winchester Gaol, Hampshire: Calendar of Trials At Quarter Sessions For the County of Southampton --00--
--00-- 5 March, 1856: James May, 20, and William Henry May, 22, both labourers, were convicted for burglary at the Southampton Assizes, at the Castle of Winchester. Both were sentenced to transportation for 14 years (England & Wales, Criminal Registers, 1791-1892; England; Hampshire 1856). The pair broke into Ezekiel Emanuel's home at Portsea, on 5 December 1855, and stole "3 gold watches, 52 gold brooches, 12 gold waistcoat chains, 2 platina chains, 15 gold guard chains, 180 gold studs, and divers other articles of jewellery" belonging to Ezekiel Emanuel and Emanuel Emanuel. Henry Phillips, 19, labourer, who was charged with receiving "one gold ring and divers other articles of jewellery, well knowing same to be stolen" was found guilty of receiving stolen goods and sentenced to four years' penal servitude (UK, Prison Commission Records, 1770-1951; Winchester Gaol; Calendar of Trials). -00--
James May CRIMINAL ADMISSION AGE: 20 RECORD TYPE: Register BIRTH DATE: 1836 OCCUPATION: Laborer CRIMINAL CHARGE: Burglariously breaking and entering SENTENCE: 14 years CRIMINAL ADMISSION DATE: 5 Feb 1856 CRIMINAL ADMISSION PLACE: Hampshire, England JAIL: Winchester Gaol SOURCE DESCRIPTION: Winchester Gaol, Hampshire: Calendar of Trials At Assizes For the County of Southampton